Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Mystery Teaser: Illusionist by Laurie Buchanan

I love finding new mystery thrillers to share! Today, I have Illusionist from the Sean McPherson Novel series by author Laurie Buchanan! Check out the novel, read an excerpt from the book, learn about the series, and author & preorder the book! 

 

A Sean McPherson Novel, Book 5

Mystery/Thriller/Private Investigator
Date Published: 04-15-2025
Publisher: SparkPress



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About the Book

A contemporary crime thriller perfect for Louise Penny and Robert Dugoni fans, Illusionist presents PI McPherson with an impossible dilemma: kill an author at a writing retreat in the Pacific Northwest, or let a college student die.


When an illusionist arrives at Pines & Quill, one of the retreat’s owners vanishes—right in front of witnesses who see nothing. Meanwhile, crime boss Georgio Gambino tightens his grip, blackmailing a writer into murder and framing Sean McPherson. His threat is clear: obey, or your daughter dies.


As McPherson investigates, he uncovers a brewing power struggle—Carmine Fiore, Gambino’s second-in-command, is staging a coup. While Gambino’s network traffics drugs, weapons, and humans, Fiore manipulates the Sureños gang, planting evidence to shift blame.


Desperate to turn the tide, McPherson seeks a dangerous alliance. But when deception is the game, only illusion can outmaneuver the truth. Enlisting the retreat’s eclectic writers—including a NASCAR driver, a triathlete, a house-flipping architect, and a magician with secrets of her own—McPherson sets the stage for the ultimate trick: survival.



Read an Excerpt

 

Sean “Mick” McPherson drives the Pines & Quill van to Bellingham International Airport. The last time I went to the airport was to drop off the September writers in residence who barely lived to tell about their stay.


His thoughts home in on Gambino, head of a trifecta-based crime family—Seattle, San Francisco, and New Orleans. Mick tightens his grip on the steering wheel. You learned the hard way that Gambino’s reach is long and elusive. That his minions infiltrate even the most inaccessible places to do his bidding, so stay on your A game.


Last month, over the Labor Day weekend, Emma, Mick’s pregnant wife, and Carly and Brianna, the daughters of one of his best friends, Joe Bingham, were abducted and held hostage in a secluded cabin on Mount Baker by Gambino’s thugs. Joe, a Bellingham homicide detective, took a bullet in his right shoulder, saving his daughters.


After the incident, local police chief Bruce Simms referred to him, Joe, and Rafferty, Mick’s other best friend, as “The three musketeers” at a press conference. He went on to say, “Though nontraditional—an ex-cop turned PI, a homicide detective, and an FBI special agent—they accomplish what no others do; they solve crimes and put bad guys behind bars. Consistently.”


Mick smiles at what Simms didn’t say to the press—they let me assist in criminal investigations because, unlike Rafferty and Joe, I have fewer restrictions, protocols, and no red tape as a PI.

 

About the Author


A blend of Dr. Doolittle, Nanny McPhee, and a type-A Buddhist, Laurie Buchanan is an active listener, observer of details, payer of attention, reader and writer of books, kindness enthusiast, red licorice aficionado, and lover of the Oxford comma.


As a novelist, photographer, and voracious reader, she never travels without three essentials—a laptop, a camera, and a book.


Growing up, she dreamed of being a magician, an international spy, and a mad scientist. There’s still time!


Her writing studio is the hayloft of a historic carriage house in the Pacific Northwest, where creativity thrives. Her husband, Len, a private pilot, and Henry, their not-so-standard Standard Poodle, join her on daily walks. She always carries a camera because sometimes, the best word choice is a picture.


A journey that left an indelible imprint on her was a 20-day, 211-mile trek across the majestic landscapes of Scotland. She, her husband, and their son hiked from the North Sea to the Atlantic Ocean, with the pinnacle being the climb of Ben Nevis at the midpoint of their adventure, the highest point in the British Isles.


"My writing goal is simple: to leave you wanting more." —Laurie Buchanan


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Motorcycle Club Romance Teaser: Xavier by Marteeka Karland

Today, I have a motorcycle club romance novel in our book teaser spotlight! Learn about Xavier, from the Kiss of Death MC series by Marteeka Karland--and preorder the book! 

Kiss of Death MC

Motorcycle Club Romance, Suspense, Age Gap

Date Published: July 18, 2025




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About the Book


Xavier may be an ex-con, but he’s strong, protective, and totally sexy. He’s my hero.

 

Tillie: At the lowest time in my life, I realize I might have gained my very own guardian angel. I never saw Xavier as more than a friend, but then he went to prison for me. I’ll never forget his sacrifice. He’s the one person I can tell anything, the one person I trust above all else. He’s also the man I’ve built up in my little fantasy world as being the perfect husband. Only problem is, I forgot he’s still a killer. How can I be with a man who’s capable of taking a life? I’m torn between my growing feelings for him and my fear of what it means to love a man like Xavier. 

 

Xavier: Did I have to kill the man who beat Tillie? No. But I’m headed to prison anyway, so why not get an added bonus? Tillie defended me to anyone who would listen, but I still never expected she’d be almost religious in coming to see me every Saturday. I also didn’t expect to fall in love with the beautiful, spirited woman. Seeing her smile now is worth the extra time I’m spending away from my brothers in Kiss of Death and the comfort of home. Unfortunately, my little Tillie is a magnet for trouble. Good thing she has me to protect her, because there is nothing I won’t do for Tillie. Nothing. If I have to kill for her again, so be it. Anyone who touches her is dead. May God have mercy, because I won’t.

 

Warning: Adult situations, graphic language, and violence, which may be a trigger for some readers. 


About the Author

Marteeka Karland is an international bestselling author who leads a double life as an erotic romance author by evening and a semi-domesticated housewife by day. Known for her down and dirty MC romances, Marteeka takes pleasure in spinning tales of tenacious, protective heroes and spirited, vulnerable heroines. She staunchly advocates that every character deserves a blissful ending, even, sometimes, the villains in her narratives. Her writings are speckled with intense, raw elements resulting in page-turning delight entwined with seductive escapades leading up to gratifying conclusions that elicit a sigh from her readers. 

 

Away from the pen, Marteeka finds joy in baking and supporting her husband with their gardening activities. The late summer season is set aside for preserving the delightful harvest that springs from their combined efforts (which is mostly his efforts, but you can count it). To stay updated with Marteeka's latest adventures and forthcoming books, make sure to visit her website. Don't forget to register for her newsletter which will pepper you with a potpourri of Teeka's beloved recipes, book suggestions, autograph events, and a plethora of interesting tidbits.

 

Connect with the Author & Publisher

Author on Instagram & TikTok: @marteekakarland

Author on Facebook

 

Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @changelingpress

 

Buy the Book 

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Get the 6-Book Kiss of Death MC series!

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Monday, July 14, 2025

Health Memoir Teaser: The Plight of the Pudgy by Tammy Waldoch

This morning, I have a humorous memoir with a health and nutrition theme. Learn about The Plight of the Pudgy by Tammy Waldoch! 

 

Health & Fitness Diet & Nutrition / Weight Loss Humorous Memoir

Date Published: 07-29-2025

Publisher: BookBaby



 

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About the Book
 
 
Studies have shown that laughter and music are proven ways to facilitate healing. Author Tammy Waldoch uses this potent secret sauce in her book Plight of the Pudgy: Stories, Inspirations, and Preposterous Parodies for the Slim at Heart. From weight loss drugs, chronic diets, and toxic body shame, the book is an open invitation to connect authentically with someone who deeply understands the plight. Her own pilgrimage to finding self-love and a place to "fit in" includes a near-death car accident, a bipolar diagnosis that turned her life upside down, and a lifelong struggle with poor body image.
 

Waldoch authentically pours her heart and soul into sharing raw stories and songs filled with deep faith, side-splitting humor, and a resounding message that we are all perfectly made in God's eyes. 

  

Tammy writes this book not only as a testimony of her faith but also to share her private path of redemption and healing. 

 

Among the pages, readers will also enjoy fiction stories designed to encourage laughter and reflection, along with some preposterous (and creative!) parodies that provide a backdrop of humor to lighten the burdens of The Slim at Heart.



Early Review

Heart Felt And Honest - This book will make you laugh and cry. The lament of women who struggle with body image applies to a good majority of women.


Read an Excerpt


A Mountain of Never Good Enough

I guess you could say it all began in childhood. By “it,” I mean my destructive habit of looking down on myself and hating my body no matter how good I looked. The years of damage I inherited as a child compounded into a mountain of never feeling “good enough” as a young adult and adult. I believe that the scars from the aftermath of my Dad’s infidelity only deepened my emotional pain, but the emotional ramifications were not addressed. I did not know what to do with the grievous shackles of insecurity that had bound me. Much of it was a severe reaction to my Dad’s actions and how he treated my mother like an object. My Dad was a salesman and a real-wheeler-dealer type. They used to say he could sell ice to Eskimos. 

 

Unfortunately for my mom, her sweet-talking man used that charisma unprincipled. He was quite the Casanova who seduced multiple women with his flattering tongue and lips dripping in honey. To be fair, my parents were only teenagers when they married and welcomed their first child. They were babies having babies and were still trying to figure out how to be adults when they were pulled together in holy matrimony. But my Dad’s cheating ways broke both my Mama’s heart and mine as he strayed from my mom time and time again. Gone was the sanctity of sexuality and the sacredness of marriage. Even as a child, I experienced my mother’s pain and hurt as if it were my own. Even though there were four of us kids, I had always been “Daddy’s little girl,” so his actions felt like a betrayal to me as well. I had, and still have, so many questions I’d like to know the answers to. 


Meet the Author


Tammy Waldoch is an imaginative author/singer/songwriter/painter with a degree in Liberal Arts from the University of Wisconsin, Lacrosse, emphasizing Aesthetic Education—teaching using the creative arts. She did just that in The Plight of the Pudgy, combining musical parodies with literature to teach others how to overcome obstacles and rise above adversity. She is actively involved with the Writer’s Well at the White Bear Center for the Arts and gathers with other inspiring writers of all ages to explore their creativity. She also consults with the Springboard Center for the Arts in St. Paul, MN for further resources.
 

She and her husband of 38 years share a dynamic love for better for worse, in sickness and in health, that has endured all things. 

 

She is also a proud parent of two sons and has two beautiful daughters-in-law who share life’s joys and challenges. Her faith is at the heart of everything she does, and this book is a testimony of her Lord and Savior’s incredible loving kindness toward her. Gilda Radner once said, “Life is full of delicious ambiguities.” 

 

Tammy invites everyone to share those ambiguities with her!


Connect with the Author

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Goodreads

Blue Book Shelf

Instagram

 
PreOrder the Book

https://mybook.to/ThePlightofPudgy

Amazon

BookBaby


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Thursday, July 10, 2025

Women's Fiction Review: The Things They Didn't See by Angela Shaeffer

This morning, I have an emotional family drama in our book review spotlight. Learn about The Things They Didn't See and author Angela Shaeffer, read my thoughts on the book and be sure to enter for a chance to win a prize in the book tour giveaawy at the end of this post.


 

Book Title:  THE THINGS THEY DIDN'T SEE by Angela Shaeffer
Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 358 pages 
GenreWomen's Fiction, Family Saga
Publisher:  Wander Lane Press
Release date:   June 2025
Content Rating PG + M: Mild profanity with some mature themes (self harm, suicide attempt)   

Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Memoir Spotlight: Improbable and Extraordinary by Saul & Erika Horwitz

This morning, I have a memoir in our book spotlight! Learn about Improbably and Extraordinary and authors Saul & Erika Horwitz! 



Memoir

Date Published: April 21, 2025

Publisher: MindStir Media

 

 


Winner of the 2025 Literary-Titan Book Award (Memoir)!

Winner of the 2025 Firebird book award (Addiction and Recovery)!

Winner of the 2025 Firebird book award (Mental Health)!

Finalist, 2024 Literary Global Book Awards and American Writing Book Awards!

 

I believe Improbable and Extraordinary will be an extremely influential book - it's rare to see such a personal and raw account of mental illness, and then the continuous (and in this case, unique) process of overcoming it. Overall, an outstanding and moving manuscript...The flow is excellent and engaging and the voice is very strong. A true accomplishment!

Megan Patiry, author of The Alice Effect.

 

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About the Book


Escaping the torment of depression, anxiety, mania and addiction: Saúl's memoir is a powerful testament to the strength of the human spirit, showing how even when it seems unattainable, transformation is possible. Once tormented by the crushing grip of bipolar disorder, depression, severe anxiety, anger, and addiction, Saúl shares the raw, unflinching truth of his battle with mental illness and trauma.

Through a profound exploration of love, not as a romantic ideal but as a fundamental force, and by adopting practical, yet challenging principles, the author discovers a path to inner peace and freedom. Saúl's candid reflections on overcoming a deep, persistent darkness reveal the possibility of peace, freedom, and personal growth.

This memoir doesn't just chronicle survival; it celebrates the power of transformation. Saúl's path through addiction and mental illness reveals that true peace and freedom are within reach, even for those who have lost everything.

By sharing his experience, Saúl aims to inspire understanding and hope, and communicate that healing is not just possible but transformative. This book is a beacon of hope for anyone wanting to find hope for themselves or someone they love.

 

From co-author, Dr. Erika Horwitz, Licensed Psychologist:

As Saul's sister, I witnessed his torments and struggles and his amazing transformation! As a psychologist, I understood the enormity of what he achieved-moving from a place of deep mental illness to stability, inner peace and wisdom. His story is inspiring and a testament to the amazing ability of human beings to transform. It's a story that offers hope to anyone facing mental health challenges and their loved ones. I knew it was essential for Saul to share his story, and I believe it will resonate with anyone who believes in the power of transformation."

 

 


 About the Authors


Saúl Horwitz

Saúl Horwitz is an addictions expert and counsellor for people in rehabilitation and recovery. From an early age he had to struggle with his personality due to suffering from bipolar disorder. Suicide attempts, suicidal crises, depression, euphoria, and other drastic changes in his personality prevented him from leading a normal life like that of others. After receiving help from a non-traditional AA group, El Despertar, not only did he transform many of these symptoms, but he also became a skilled counsellor to those afflicted by addiction and mental illness.

 

Erika Horwitz, Ph.D.

Erika is a Licenced Psychologist working in private practice in Vancouver, British Columbia Canada.  In addition, she is an author, public speaker, university lecturer, and certified Mindfulness Teacher.  She was the former Director of Counselling Services at Simon Fraser University.  She is currently the President of the Board of Directors at the British Columbia Psychological Association, the Vice-Chair at the Council of Professional Associations of Psychology and a council member at the American Psychological Association.  She wrote Through the Maze of Motherhood: Empowered Mothers Speak.  In her leisure time she loves meditation, reading, movies, working out, and spending time with her amazing husband, her family, and friends.

 

Connect with the Author

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TikTok

Instagram

Youtube

 

Buy the Book

Amazon

B&N



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Spirituality Spotlight: Becoming One with Christ by David Richards

This morning, our book spotlight focuses on spirituality. Check out Becoming One With Christ and learn about author David Richards. 



The Lessons of King David

 Religion / Spirituality

Date Published: March 10, 2025

Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.


 

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About the Book

 

A lifetime journey. A test of faith. A calling to a deeper love. This is more than a book; it's a heartfelt testament to resilience, devotion, and discovering love's true meaning through the eyes of King David.

 

In Becoming One with Christ, I share my journey--a lifetime of seeking spiritual depth and strength, which was put to the ultimate test during the pandemic. During that turbulent time, I encountered profound revelations through David's trials, triumphs, and unwavering faith. Now I want to share these lessons with you in hopes they will inspire and embolden your own walk of faith.



About the Author


I’m David Richards!  I’m a high performance executive coach, and help clients overcome leadership challenges while equipping them with the tools to become an extraordinary speaker.

 

Connect with the Author

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Facebook

TikTok


Buy the Book

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Monday, July 7, 2025

NonFiction Aging Self-Help Teaser: Your Aging Body by Bruce M. Carlson, MD, PhD

This morning, I have a nonfiction self help book in our book teaser spotlight! Learn about Your Aging Body: and how to care for it by Bruce Carlson and learn about the author.  


and how to care for it


Nonfiction / Aging / Self-Help

Date Published: 06-12-2025

Publisher: The Woodtick Press


 

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About the Book

 
Written in understandable language, this book describes the ways in which our body changes with age and outlines some practical ways to counter many of these changes. It begins by discussing the aging process in general terms and why some people seem much younger than others of the same chronological age. After a presentation of general characteristics of the aging body, subsequent chapters focus on what lies behind the aging of specific parts of the body and how the reader can counteract or slow down the aging process through lifestyle changes. The text illustrates how some seemingly quite different aging changes, for example skin wrinkles and high blood pressure, are due to very similar underlying mechanisms. Although not focusing on disease, the book deals with a number of conditions, e.g., hypertension, arthritis, Type II diabetes and Alzheimer's disease, which affect many older adults. A concluding chapter pulls together many of the details presented earlier in the book and offers some practical advice for navigating the aging process.
 
 

As both a professional anatomist and a gerontologist, the author is well qualified to write a book on the aging body. Forty years as a professor at the University of Michigan Medical School, he served as Chairman of the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology and also Director of the Institute of Gerontology. For several decades he conducted research on the aging of muscle. He is a past-president of the American Association of Anatomists and of the Association of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Neurobiology Chairpersons.


Read an Excerpt


How Do We Keep Our Balance?


Our body is never completely stable. Even while standing still, our body sways ever so slightly. Usually we don't even notice it. The main reason is that we constantly make tiny un-noticed corrections to our stance that keep our body in a stable upright condition. If we are walking and our foot hits a snag of some sort, one of our legs automatically kicks out and our arms spread to counteract the forward lurching of our body. If we are lucky, that action is enough to correct the stumble and we continue walking. If we are unlucky, we fall.

 

Keeping our balance involves a complex dance among several systems in our body. Most important are 1) a component of our inner ear, called the vestibular system; 2) our visual system; and 3) a large batch of sensory nerves that make up what is called the proprioceptive system. These three systems all send messages to the brain, which sorts them out and then sends appropriate messages to a variety of muscles throughout the body, telling them to adjust their individual contractions in a manner that keeps our body in a stable position. 


About the Author


 

 Bruce Carlson has had a long and varied career in a number of fields. As an undergraduate student at Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota, he majored in biology, languages and chemistry. As a prelude to becoming a fish biologist, he worked for the Minnesota Conservation Department (now DNR) as an aquatic biologist during summers except for one when he conducted research at the University of Georgia Marine Laboratory on Sapelo Island, Georgia. He entered a program in ichthyology at Cornell University, but became fascinated with the phenomenon of regeneration. After receiving an MS from Cornell, he entered the MD-PhD program at the University of Minnesota where he conducted research on limb regeneration in salamanders. 

 

In 1966 he joined the faculty of the Department of Anatomy at the University of Michigan Medical School and became Chairman of the Department and later, Director of the Institute of Gerontology. He taught microscopic anatomy and human embryology and received several major awards for his teaching. His research on regeneration, embryology and muscle biology led him to live for extended periods in five countries – The USSR, Czechoslovakia, the Netherlands, Finland and New Zealand. A prolific writer, he has written over 200 articles and chapters in scientific publications, has edited 15 symposium articles and translations, and he has written twenty books on a variety of topics. 

 

Bruce is an avid fisherman, who is on the water well over 100 days per year, either night-fishing for walleyes or fly fishing for smallmouth bass in northern Minnesota. He has also taken many trips to New Zealand, his favorite country, to fish for trout in a remote lake surrounded by snow-capped mountains. For many years he wrote articles for several national fishing magazines. The main theme was that the more you understand the biology of the fish you are trying to catch, the better will be your results. 

 

Since retirement in 2006, Bruce has reverted to his scientific childhood and has again taken up work on fish and lake biology. In addition to weekly collections of data about the lake by his cabin, he has directed a ten-year study on the growth of northern pike on a nearby lake and has spent hundreds of hours taking underwater videos in northern lakes. This activity has led to his writing two popular books on lake biology and one on aquatic invasive species. 

 

In addition to his outdoor work, Bruce has maintained an active professional writing schedule, with seven editions of his book “Human Embryology and Developmental Biology” and other books on regeneration, the human body and muscle biology. His work in the area of embryology has led him into expert witness work in that area and writing a new book on the abortion controversy – “The Abortion Controversy – An Embryologist’s Perspective.” His background in anatomy and the biology of aging has him thinking about writing a new book on understanding the aging body.


Connect with the Author

Website

Facebook

Blog


Purchase Links

https://mybook.to/YourAgingBody

Amazon


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